Australian Open 2012 - Day 4

While falling asleep I might watch a bit of Raonic v Petzchner.

I like Petz!

Can't decide whether to set alarm a bit early for Murray match or just wait for results..............decisions!

For £4 I subscribed to Eusport player for a month and I get to watch all the matches when I want! live or recorded.

Quality is excellent...though the recorded macthes have no commentary.

Tenez wrote:though the recorded macthes have no commentary.

Actually a bonus considering some of the commentators!

Wish I'd done that . Will make sure I do for the remaining slams.

I have done it today. But I must say with LShunting there is little need to subscribe though the quality is much better and you can watch all matches.

Really worth it.

Definitely going to get it next time.

Quite looking forward to the Roddick / Hewitt match - a bit of a blast from the past and who knows if they will play each other at a slam again.

What would be interesting watching this match is compare with it with their hey days and check whether they are playing worse or better than when both were at the top.

For those who were fans of McEnroe...Petzchner is the newer version! This guy is incredibly talented...but nowdays doesn't help.

He'll probably lose to solid Raonic.

Raonic will give Djoko some serious problems next round!

Another ominous performance from Novak Djokovic dropping just six games in beating Giraldo earlier today. He is looking good. Tsonga also through comfortably but David Ferrer had a five set marathon before coming through and Tipsarevic comes through in four against the impressive Aussie Duckworth. Next up is Andy Murray on Hisense.

Andy Murray takes the first set 6-1 in just 23 minutes. I won't get too excited though due to the calibre of the opponent. Hopefully, he can wrap this match up ASAP and recoup some of that energy expended in the First Round.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Another ominous performance from Novak Djokovic dropping just sex game in beating Giraldo earlier today.

Was the night rich in dreams?

Tenez wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Another ominous performance from Novak Djokovic dropping just sex game in beating Giraldo earlier today.

Was the night rich in dreams?

Better change that...and fast.

Andy Murray now in total command as he leads 6-1 6-4. Another two seeds to bite the dust today were Alex Bogomolov Jnr and Marcell Granollers and Kei Nishikori is in trouble traling by two sets to Australian Michael Ebden.

Yeah....it's all over for my compatriot!

Andy Murray safely through to the Third Round winning 6-1 6-4 6-4. Workmanlike performance.

Kei Nishikori on the comeback trail and is level at two sets all against Michael Ebden. Next up for Andy is Michael Llodra.

Pretty impressive backhand winner on match point by Murray, despite the lack of any sort of reaction from the commentators!

Yes Murray's BH has been very impressive.

But again the difference in athletism/power between Murray and Roger was big and that was the key to that match.

............................Murray .....Vasselin
1st Serve % ........68 % .......56 %
Aces ....................9 .............2
DF .......................2 .............2
UE .......................19 ...........33
1st Serve win ........85 % ........66 %
2nd Serve Win......60 % ........43 %
Winners ...............41 ............29
Receiving Pts Won...44 % ........23 %
BP Conversions ......33 % .........0 %
Net Approaches ......78 % .........67 %
Total Pts Won ........101 ...........71
Fastest Serve Spd ...217 KMH ...195 KMH
Ave 1st Serve Spd ...181 KMH ...182 KMH
Ave 2nd Serve Spd .140 KMH ...149 KMH

Murray seems to be addressing some of his known weaknesses (second serve and passivity)

Thanks for the stats NS

Encouraging signs for the serve. Also the net approaches looks encouraging also.

The courts during the day certainly look faster than last year.

Djokovic plays mahut in next round, not raonic. Raonic plays winner of roddick vs Hewitt. Reckon the two of them will take lumps out of each other for hours and raonic will be loving it. Still a tough match against the winner of that one. Hewitt and roddick know their career is near the end and will be keen to go deep in slam for potentially the last time.

slashermcguirk wrote:Djokovic plays mahut in next round, not raonic. Raonic plays winner of roddick vs Hewitt. .

Yes, I realised afterwards...but I'd expect Raonic to beat Roddick and Hewitt convincingly.

If you look at the faces of these players as they hit through the ball, you should be able to tell which players use strength/power and which players use more subtle means: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/17/photos-faces-of-the-australian-open-with-a-warning-it-aint-pretty/

Excellent pictures! Hilarious.

I was going to say Fed look the most relax out there...untill I saw Chela's! He seems he has time to spare a smile for the photographer before hittng the ball. Very funny picture!

Dolgo grimace is pretty funny too. I understand what Lydian means by Thalassaemia's problem now!

Back to Murray's match - have to say that looks like a good job well done.

68% first serve percentage, twice as many winners as UEs, winning 60% of points on his own second serve. Keep those numbers up and he'll be there at the end of the tournament.

Nore Staat wrote:............................Murray .....Vasselin
1st Serve % ........68 % .......56 %
Aces ....................9 .............2
DF .......................2 .............2
UE .......................19 ...........33
1st Serve win ........85 % ........66 %
2nd Serve Win......60 % ........43 %
Winners ...............41 ............29
Receiving Pts Won...44 % ........23 %
BP Conversions ......33 % .........0 %
Net Approaches ......78 % .........67 %
Total Pts Won ........101 ...........71
Fastest Serve Spd ...217 KMH ...195 KMH
Ave 1st Serve Spd ...181 KMH ...182 KMH
Ave 2nd Serve Spd .140 KMH ...149 KMH

Murray seems to be addressing some of his known weaknesses (second serve and passivity)

Interesting, Lendl's advice: get that bloody first serve in?
68% is very good and 181 kmh is relatively slow for Murray

Tenez wrote:The courts during the day certainly look faster than last year.

yeah, i haven't seen much but even the night session Waw-Bag was quite pacey.
Help us out here Tenez, is this ball new to this slam?

http://www.courtsidesports.com/store/product/9160/Australian-Open-Tennis-Balls-Tube-3-Balls/

Maybe you right. Must be the balls.

Haven't read any comment from the players on this.

Simon 2 sets down now. Someone give him a frying pan to hit with because the racquet ain't working for him!!!

Bellucci and Monfils are going at some speed thats for sure!!

It says the ball is heavy...which was what made the FO balls fast too.

Simon and Hewitt sucking the life out of Benetteau and Roddick respectively.

Crickey, played my first game of tennis in ages yesterday. I certainly won't be gracing the rod laver arena any time soon. Certainly makes me appreciate even more what incredible athletes those top guys are. Was ready to shake hands after half an hour and it was only a knock up! Roddick vs Hewitt shaping up for the inevitable 5 set marathon

It certainly helps to play a bit to understand how gruesome tennis is nowadays.

I could identify to players in the 70s and 80s..even in the 90s...but now I don;t even think about it. Watching alone is exhausting!

Very true tenez, can see how gruelling it is on the knees as well. It involves so much sprinting and stopping in short bursts that really must wear down the knees at their level. You also forget the sheer amount of court coverage running side to side and going for drop shots. It really would tire you out just watching them.

I attempted a djokovic stinging backhand down the line and nearly took out somebody on court beside me !! Work to be done on that shot :-)

slashermcguirk wrote:Very true tenez, can see how gruelling it is on the knees as well. It involves so much sprinting and stopping in short bursts that really must wear down the knees at their level. You also forget the sheer amount of court coverage running side to side and going for drop shots. It really would tire you out just watching them.

It's not just running for the ball, it's also the mass of quick shuffly little adjustments you need to make even when you are close to the ball to make sure you are poised to hit it how you want, rather than just being near enough to it to get a racquet onto it. A truly exhausting sport if you want to play it anything approaching properly. When I hear their shoes squeaking away on an unyielding surface I grimace for their joints which are having to absorb all the forces and changes in direction that are going on.

Good luck with it!

I had an hour hitting with a coach who was reproducing Nadal's game for fun. The travelling around the court to get to those moonball is awful! it takes all your energy in 10mns, your sharpness drops in 5mn.

Roddick injured...sadly!

Add that a double BH which requires the support and twisting of your whole upper body...plus the sheer power Nadal puts on every FH...

Absurd!...but extremely efficient!

Watched some of the second round match between Wawrinka vs Baghdatis.

Decent match. Some tension on court as the fans of Baghdatis were cheering.

Wawrinka wasnt to happy, at one point Baghdatis said "You want to play or not".

Thats what I like to see in Tennis, a bit of tension between players.

They seemed fine at the end.

In the Federer match I thought the speed looked faster this year. Then I saw another match where it looked slower.

Did you see the 4 racket smash from baghdatis! 4 in one minute is an impressive feat, am sure safin has done it before but didn't expect it from baggy. Has to be said too that wawrinka backhand is a thing of beauty. He hits it so flush, particularly down the line

4 in 25 seconds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QQtG9Vwfoo

A bit silly. Nice that he got kicked badly by Waw. He should be penalized $50.000 given to charity asap.

Jahu wrote:4 in 25 seconds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QQtG9Vwfoo

A bit silly. Nice that he got kicked badly by Waw. He should be penalized $50.000 given to charity asap.

I like Baghdatis and I am happy to see the funny side of the odd volcano, but that's absolutely pathetic. I bet his stringer was not impressed; and what on earth do his racquet sponsors think?

IMHO he's a very talented player, frequently a joy to watch, but a frustrating man whose lack of self-discipline has cost him dear throughout his career.

barrystar wrote:I like Baghdatis and I am happy to see the funny side of the odd volcano, but that's absolutely pathetic. I bet his stringer was not impressed; and what on earth do his racquet sponsors think?

.

I just saw the clip and in my view that crazy action was actually targeted at his racquet sponsor....or rather at the lack of it. It's seems the racquet are painted cause he lost his sponsor or not agreed a deal yet.

It looks like a Head brand. My take is that a lot of money is invested in the Djoko deal and that a few deals from Heads have not been renewed or not been goven the attention those lower ranked players wanted.

Stan Wawrinka is another one who had a Head but moved recently to Yonex.

Just a suggestion..but I dn;t think Bagdhatis lost his mind as much as we might think.

Agree Slash.

Wawrinka's backhand is great to watch.